Toasted Banana and Apple Bread

I love banana bread.  My affinity for banana bread started during the beginning years of Starbucks when they would offer a delicious yet completely saturated with sugar, banana bread.  But being an impressionable thirteen-year-old the more sugar there was in the loaf the more I enjoy it.  I found myself craving banana bread this week and I decided to try and experiment with making it as simple as possible, healthy and seasonal.  It turned out delicious!  Since apples are still in season, I’ve added a few to harness the sweetness that has always appealed to me.  This banana and apple bread really is the best comfort food during the fall and winter season as it is perfect when sliced, toasted and topped with your favorite nut butter or fruit! I love adding a heaping spoonful of almond butter, drizzle of honey and slices of banana to mine for an afternoon snack.  The best thing about this bread is that its full of healthy ingredients from nuts, fruit, and chia seeds yet it still maintains a lovely moist center with a crispy top layer, which is always the best part!  Feel free to read more about the amazing health benefits of apples and bananas in my pantry section here.  If you are strictly a banana bread lover or if you don’t have apples on hand, simply remove the apples and instead use 2 more bananas in its place for a delicious and traditional banana bread recipe.  

I look forward to bringing this banana and apple bread to many upcoming holiday and brunch parties!  I hope you get a chance to soon share this wonderful bread with your friends and family as well! 

Serves: 1 large loaf

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour at 330F

Ingredients for the Toasted Banana and Apple Bread:

- 3 ripe bananas

- 2 apples

- 1 cup walnuts

- 1 cup pecans

- ½ cup coconut flour (or use buckwheat or brown rice flour)

- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds + 6 tablespoons water

- 1 tablespoon cinnamon

- ½ teaspoon cardamom (or use all cinnamon)

- 3 tablespoons honey

Instructions:

Start by preheating your oven to 330F and mix the chia seeds with the water in a separate bowl and set aside till a gel forms, about 7 minutes. 

Add both nuts to a food processor and blend until the nuts have formed a flour, about 2 minutes.  Now simply chop the bananas and apples and add them to the food processor along with the remaining ingredients, including the chia seed gel.  Blend until smooth and creamy, roughly 2 minutes.  Pour the mixture into a bread loaf pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is crispy and the center is moist. Enjoy!